The first Medal of Honor was the Navy version
of the Medal of Honor. It's idea took form after a
bill was introduced in congress by a Iowa Senator
James Grimes who was chairman of the Senate
Naval Committee.The bill was signed into law by
President Abraham Lincoln on December 21, 1861.

The act authorized the Secretary of the Navy to create
two hundred medals with "suitable emblematic devices"
to be presented to"petty officers, seaman, landsman
and marines as shall distinguish themselves by their
gallantry in action and other seamanlike qualities
during the present war".

The first MOH was designed by Christian Schussel
and sculptured by Anthony C. Paquet. The fact that
the first MOH was to be awarded during the Civil War
only was indicative in it's design. The creation of an
additional Army version and a number of laws which
govern it, have caused the MOH to change many times.

The present Navy Medal of Honor is the fourth
Naval design. It was established by an act of Congress
on August 7th, 1942 and was established as a combat
award only. It's design readopted the original design
reviving the five-point inverted star, to be suspended
by an anchor from a neck cravat and a pad
of light blue with thirteen white stars.